Dolby Labs signed an agreement with Microsoft for the use
of its technology on tablets and PCs running the
upcoming Windows 8 operating system.

The addition of Dolby Digital Plus enables the playback
of Dolby-encoded content across devices.

Dolby Digital Plus is recognized as a standard for
high-quality audio on many types of products, including
smartphones, tablets, PCs, connected TVs, Blu-ray Disc
players, and game consoles.

Developers will be enabled to deliver cinematic sound
through Windows 8 APIs in desktop and Metro-style apps,
including those developed for x86 and ARM architectures.
Dolby Digital Plus 5.1-channel decoding and Dolby
Digital two-channel encoding will be supported in all
PCs and tablets licensed to run Windows 8, Windows 8
Pro, and Windows RT editions.

Windows 8 is not expected to ship until Dolby's fiscal
2013.

Every copy of Windows 8 will include the function to
play all online content that uses Dolby encoding but
OEMs will have to pay for optical disc playback
functionality.

"Dolby's goal is to deliver the best possible
entertainment experience, wherever content is delivered
through broadcast, broadband, or wireless networks,"
said Ramzi Haidamus, Executive Vice President, Sales and
Marketing, Dolby. "We are pleased to be working with
Microsoft to address the growing demand for
high-definition content delivered across a broad range
of services and devices. Widespread availability of
Dolby Digital Plus on Windows 8 will enable more people
to enjoy cinematic sound anytime, anywhere, and on any
device."

"With the incredible growth of online download and
streaming media, particularly for video content, this
agreement ensures a great audio experience for those
consumers who wish to download or stream TV and movies
containing Dolby Digital Plus," said Tami Reller, Chief
Financial Officer and Chief Marketing Officer, Windows
and Windows Live, Microsoft. "Additionally, all of their
existing and future home videos recorded with Dolby
Digital Plus audio will work great on Windows 8 right
out of the box."